Early morning stroll develops into arrest of suspect for dealing methamphetamine

Written by Marty Randall

Wednesday, 03 July 2013 14:05

A tip to the Austin Police Department early in the morning on June 13 resulted in the arrest of a man for dealing methamphetamine.
Patrolman Robert Garza and Sgt. Robert Gudgel were dispatched to an area of York Road near South First Street in Austin at 1:44 a.m. on that Thursday to look for a man wearing a red shirt. The tip provided to them indicated that the man was carrying “...a large amount of meth...” and was headed to York Rd. and U.S. Highway 31 South. Sgt. Gudgel spotted such a man walking west on York Rd. He stopped to question the subject, who identified himself as William Burton. After Burton gave consent to a search, the officer said Burton pulled a cigarette pack and a syringe out of his left front pocket. he said the material was provided to him by another man, who had asked him to take then to another man. The cigarette pack contained $40, what appeared to be drug paraphernalia and three baggies containing what turned out to be 4.9 grams of methamphetamine. A part of a pill was also found in the man’s pocket, the probable cause affidavit noted. Burton was taken into custody and transported to the Scott County Security Center in Scottsburg by Ptl. Garza. It was there that the suspected methamphetamine was tested and weighed. Judge Marsha Owens Howser presided in Scott Circuit Court during Burton’s initial hearing. Burton entered a preliminary plea of not guilty to dealing in methamphetamine, a Class C felony, possession of a syringe and possession of a controlled substance, both Class D felonies, and possession of paraphernalia, a Class A misdemeanor. Bail was fixed at $50,000 corporate surety/full cash, and a jury trial date of November 5 was assigned. Burton will return to court on July 29 when a bail reduction hearing will be held. His court-appointed attorney filed a motion on June 25 asking for that hearing.